As teachers launch a patchwork of boycotts of programs they usually volunteer to run outside class, many people are confused about what’s going on. Here’s a crash course on some of the issues.

What’s all this about?

The teachers’ side: Many teachers are angry the Ontario government passed a law last week that curbs their right to strike, freezes their wages and salary grid for two years, cuts their sick days from 20 to 10 and prohibits cashing in unused sick days on retirement. It imposed the financial part of a new contract that normally would be hammered out in bargaining. The unions walked away from talks with the province last spring over its proposals, which they called “offensive.” Instead they said they would bargain with local school boards, but trustees have little say over funding. The new law lets the province intervene if teachers strike in the next two years — a move that’s been called heavy-handed by groups ranging from the New Democratic Party to the Canadian Civil Liberties Association.

The government’s side: The government said it was forced to pass the Putting Students First Act because teachers’ unions wouldn’t bargain with the province over money. Premier Dalton McGuinty argued he needs a public-sector wage freeze to help curb the $15 billion deficit. Education Minister Laurel Broten asked the Elementary Teachers’ Federation of Ontario (ETFO) to return to the bargaining table from Feb. 28, when it walked out after one hour of talks, until Sept. 11, when the government passed the law Broten said she needed to ensure labour peace. Some also say the Liberals were being tough on unions to appeal to voters in the traditionally Tory riding of Kitchener-Waterloo before the Sept. 6 by-election. But the voters picked NDP school trustee Catherine Fife, who ran with much help from teachers.

Is this an official ‘work-to-rule?’

No. Unions are only allowed to order members to “work to rule” — do nothing extra — if they are in a legal strike position, which they are not until later this fall. But since extracurriculars are always voluntary, union leaders can suggest that members not coach, and teachers can encourage each other. ETFO has asked members to consider taking a “pause” from voluntary activities to show their opposition to the law. There was no time limit given and no clear goal. The Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation called only for a one-day suspension of extracurriculars on Sept. 12. Yet in many cases whole schools are taking a pause from extracurricular programs. Others have kept all programs, while some schools are split; some on, some off.

Can teachers be forced to coach?

No. Neither Ontario’s Education Act nor local union contracts can force teachers to work for free outside the work day. Schools in some jurisdictions pay for extra duties; others give a lighter teaching load to coaches and other extracurricular leaders. But generations of Ontario teachers have volunteered to run after-school programs, so generations of students have come to expect them.

What’s mandatory?

Ontario elementary teachers must provide 300 minutes of instruction a day, plus an average of 16 minutes a day of supervision (halls, lunch rooms, yards), and they get an average of 48 minutes of prep time per day.

The parent-teacher interview is one after-hour duty teachers wouldn’t cancel, said ETFO president Sam Hammond. It’s part of a teacher’s duty to report to parents, and teachers are given time off in lieu of working late. A parent-teacher night, or “meet the teacher” gathering is a voluntary activity that some schools have cancelled already.

What’s next?

Local teachers’ unions are taking strike votes until early October and then there are several steps unions must go through over two to three weeks before they can take job action legally, such as a true work-to-rule or strike that all teachers must obey. But the controversial new law gives Queen’s Park the right to shut down any job action, so it could be short-lived. If so, teachers could go back to deciding individually if they want to run after-school programs on their own time.

And the uncertainty would go on.

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